rationalize
pronunciation
How to pronounce rationalize in British English:
UK [ˈræʃnəlaɪz]
How to pronounce rationalize in American English:
US [ˈræʃənəˌlaɪz]
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- Verb:
- defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
- weed out unwanted or unnecessary things
- structure and run according to rational or scientific principles in order to achieve desired results
- think rationally; employ logic or reason
- remove irrational quantities from
Word Origin
- rationalize (v.)
- 1767, "explain in a rational way, make conformable to reason," from rational + -ize. In the psychological sense of "to give an explanation that conceals true motives" it dates from 1922. Related: Rationalized; rationalizing.
Example
- 1. Beijing should also strengthen urban land management to rationalize the location of commercial activities and housing development .
- 2. Their brains were apparently too busy to rationalize their selfishness , so they fell back on their intuitive feelings about fairness .
- 3. We would rather justify , rationalize , explain and blame someone or something for our obesity , than take complete responsibility for our fat selves .
- 4. Many people routinely deceive themselves to rationalize dishonest behavior .
- 5. Sometimes it can be difficult to separate the two types of fear because ego-fear will rationalize itself as healthy fear , e.g. " I don 't want to talk to that stranger because they could attack me , or waste my time . "